Gingerbread Apple Crisp

Looking for delicious and healthy dessert ideas to tide you over during the holiday season? What about apple crisp –one of the easiest desserts to make; perfect for both beginner and advanced chefs.

I developed this gluten free Gingerbread Apple Crisp recipe for Shirley Braden’s blogging event, Home for the Holidays Gluten-Free Style. Every day, from Monday, November 28 through Friday, December 23, a different blogger will share a gluten-free recipe that means both home and the holidays to them. Here’s more from Shirley:

Our Home for the Holidays Gluten-Free Style blogging event offers the comfort, joy, excitement, and fun of the holidays with wonderful recipes from your favorite bloggers.

A special thanks to Shirley for including me in the event. If you are in the Fredericksburg, VA area, be sure to check out the gluten intolerance/celiac support group that she runs where they discuss topics such as celiac disease, the gluten free diet and how to survive the holidays.

This time of year can be challenging and filled with dietary dilemmas. How do we stay connected to, and feel a part of, the festivities yet remain true to what our bodies need when our visual and olfactory senses are inundated by foods that might not be part of our regular program?

If you are on a special diet, this gluten free, grain free Paleo friendly dessert recipe will likely work for you. Further, I like this Gingerbread Apple Crisp because it’s festive enough to bring to a party (or serve to guests in your own home) and also healthy enough for those needing to stay away from certain foods (sugar, gluten and dairy come to mind).

Comments

Elana-thank you! I’ve made this recipe honestly at least 10 times now & keep having to buy more ginger so I can make it again! The only change I’ve made is subbing coconut oil for the vegan shortening since I didn’t have any on hand. It always turns out fabulous!

My favorite dessert when I was little was my mother’s gingerbread cake topped with applesauce and a dollop of whipped cream. So this recipe brought back memories. Made some changes the second time, tho. Put the apple slices in a Ziploc and added a lot of cinnamon ~ maybe 2T ~ and shook it up to cover the apples well. And that was only half a recipe! Used the full recipe for the topping but made one change: substituted butter for the palm oil and it added crispness. It’s now perfect for me – but I love cinnamon.

Elana, the crisp looks absolutely yummy, and light! I need to make something for my sister’s birthday. She and her husband are dieting. This looks like it will make them happy…very tasty, a treat, but won’t make them feel quilty. Thanks!

I’ve been following your site for awhile and have enjoyed making your recipes. You have really opened my mind and renewed my interest in baking again. Thank you so much :)

I have been following gluten, sugar, dairy free for a year or so.

I made the gingerbread apple crisp yesterday. It was a hit!! I didn’t quite have enough apples so added some fresh cranberries (it is the season, after all) which made a nice addition. Also used walnuts instead of pecans as that’s what was on hand.

Such a lovely recipe, Elana. I always look to you for these simple, satisfying recipes and you don’t disappoint, dear. This one definitely says “home” and “holidays” to me and is a perfect addition to our Home for the Holidays … Gluten-Free Style event. :-) Thanks so much for both joining in and for being such a generous sponsor!

I don’t think I can simplify. Gluten and dairy free is new to me and my family don’t feel they should have to change. Going to be an interesting experience. I need to make things that will open their eyes to healthy eating.

ooooooh my this looks so yummy… my husband just asked a couple hours ago, when he finishes off his birthday cake, can I make him an apple crisp.. this Gingerbread Apple Crisp will knock his socks off!! :) thank you so much.. I just made some homemade vanilla extract.. that will make it extra special…

Am in the 80’s club. We never had the gluten problem in our day. Seems everything was edible and in some cases during the depression were lucky to have food. Of Course we all had our own gardens then. I stumbled on to your site and have actually tried some of the recipes. Will be using the gluten free pie crust for a black bottom pie this weekend. My neighbors were extatic over some squares I shared with them from your site. Keep up the wonderful work as I have always liked trying new recipes. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Sue

Thank you for having such great information and recipes available online! This is still a new way of eating for us and it really helps to have someone who is experienced with this type of baking and eating.

Elana, I was wheat free for 7 years before I started making wheat free bread. The first gf cookbook had awful recipes so I gave up for another year. Then I found the Gluten Free Gourmet. Those recipes worked but there were so many ingredients, it felt like a science experiment.
Then I stumbled across your website and it was a perfect fit for me. The only sweetener I can use is Agave. I love the protein from the Almond Flour in my breads and crackers and desserts. Your recipes are all delicious and simple to make. Thank you for all the great recipes and for the links to other great GF sites. The gingerbread apple crisp sounds delicious. I will definitely be making it for the holidays! Happy, Happy Holidays to you! Sincerely, Lois

Looks yummy! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with others.
I’ve been GF for 5 months; DF for 25 years…and am looking with interest into the Paleo diet. Would love to win the Paleo book. Cooking for Isaiah is the first cookbook a friend passed along when my son was diagnosed with Celiac this summer.
Merry Christmas!

Totally off topic here, but I just wanted to give a shout out to your cookbooks. I have had the first one since it came out, and I just bought the cupcake book recently. I have made two of the recipes already, and my husband and I are just loving them. I don’t know how you do it, but don’t ever stop! Your recipes are just wonderful, and I am working my way through Gluten Free Cupcakes. Someone borrowed my almond flour cookbook so I have to buy another copy of that. It’s funny how good things always seem to disappear. I just ordered my second copy at Amazon, and I am not letting either book out of my sight again. Unlike other recipes, yours taste and look like real food and are delicious. Thanks again for everything you do; it is very much appreciated.

Simple, beautiful, and delicious as always, Elana! Baked apples are pure comfort food and the gingerbread almond/pecan topping gives this recipe that extra special tasty holiday touch. ;-) Thanks so much for participating in our Home for the Holidays … Gluten-Free Style event, dear! Can’t wait for the giveaway part here in a few hours, and I know our event readers can’t either. ;-)

My sweet Grandma Weez used to make us apple crisp every Thanksgiving. With a huge scoop of cool whip on top when I was little. It always reminds me of her since she isnt with us for the holidays anymore. Love my Weez. And thanks for sharing a nostalgic recipe for me!

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